On January 27, hundreds of defenders of immigrant rights from many leftist organizations, labor unions, churches and sanctuary networks rallied in Boston to protest the deportation of Siham Byah. A prominent Occupy Boston activist and single mother, Byah was grabbed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) police last November 7, torn from her son, beaten in a local jail, driven to Virginia and then deported to Morocco. The Class Struggle Education League, based in Lowell, Mass. and New Hampshire participated in the protest, emphasizing the importance of mobilizing the power of workers action to stop the I.C.E. deportation machine. It also noted the parallel to the struggle against slave-catchers under the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, a battle which came to a head in Boston and set the stage for the U.S. Civil War. The CSEL is undertaking joint work with the Internationalist Group.

This new interview with SULC Law Professor Angela A. Allen-Bell is being released to kickstart a public campaign to contact California Governor Jerry Brown asking him to affirm the granting of parole and not reverse the parole board's decision. Please take action for 'Soledad Brother' John Clutchette!

A group called “Resist Marxism” is planning a rally on Boston Common for Nov. 18th with “Free Speech Rally” organizer John Medlar, along with far-right “patriot” groups the Three Percenters, Oath Keepers, and Joey Gibson’s Patriot Prayer from the PNW. “Based Stickman” Kyle Chapman is also listed as a headlining speaker.

Just after noon a large table laden with food was set out to feed the arriving protest organizers and rally supporters for immigrant rights. Next to the Massachusetts 54th Memorial, at the top of the stone steps, a sound system was set up and some music was playing. At the foot of the steps, up against a wrought iron gate, there were many signs supporting immigrants and calling for the re-installment of the Dreamers - DACA act.